ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College football team used a strong running game and an effective passing attack to complement a stifling defense in a 27-6 victory over St. Olaf Saturday night at John Leaney Field at Macalester Stadium. With the win, the Scots improve to 3-5 overall and 2-5 in conference play. The Oles drop to 3-5, 2-5 MIAC.

Macalester rushed for 131 yards and passed for 268 yards for 399 yards of total offense. The defense limited the St. Olaf offense to just 65 yards on the ground and 317 yards of total offense while keeping the offense off the scoreboard.

The Scots set the tone on the first drive of the game, moving the ball 76 yards on eight plays. First year running back Brennan Litchford (Milwaukee, Wis./Ronald Reagan) capped the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead. In the second quarter, sophomore defensive back Jay Green (Roseville, Minn./Mounds Park Academy) picked off St. Olaf quarterback Luke Crosby for his third interception of the season, giving Macalester the ball at its own 41-yard line. The offense took advantage of the turnover, with sophomore quarterback Jack Scully (Menlo Park, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep) hitting sophomore receiver Paxton Boyd (Newton, Mass./Newton South) for a 41-yard reception to the St. Olaf 3-yard line. Two plays later, Litchford scored on a 1-yard run to put the Scots on top, 14-0.

After Macalester's defense forced a St. Olaf punt on the next possession, Josh Kerber intercepted a Scully pass and ran it in from 10 yards out to cut the lead to eight, 14-6 following an unsuccessful conversion.

St. Olaf received the ball after halftime but the Scots forced a three-and-out, and the Oles' punt gave Macalester the ball at its own 9-yard line. The Scots' offense proceeded to engineer a 91-yard scoring drive that included 58 yards on nine carries for Litchford. Scully ended the drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to first year receiver Kelly Storms (San Anselmo, Calif./Marin Catholic) to make the score 20-6.

In the fourth quarter, St. Olaf was moving the ball when junior linebacker Jason Weaver (Roselle Park, N.J./Pingry) sacked Crosby and forced a fumble that was recovered by first year linebacker Asher Niemi (Meridian, Idaho/Rocky Mountain) at the Macalester 46. Scully connected with Boyd on a 16-yard pass, then found senior receiver Christian Jones (St. Paul, Minn./Johnson) with a 38-yard touchdown pass for a 27-6 advantage. The Scots' defense did the rest, keeping the Oles off the scoreboard and ending the game with an interception by Jason Weaver.

Litchford ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Scully was 19-of-29 for 268 yards and one interception, while Boyd caught 10 passes for 123 yards. Storms finished with six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. On defense, senior defensive lineman Tommy McKissick (Denver, Colo./Kent Denver) had seven tackles, while first year defensive back Niko Zacharias (Seattle, Wash./Shorewood) tallied six tackles. Weaver made an impact with five tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception.

Crosby threw for 252 yards and two interceptions, with Tory Pinkney Jr. catching five passes for 76 yards for St. Olaf.

Macalester hosts Concordia College on Saturday, Nov. 8 in the final home game of the season. The Scots will honor their seniors before the game, which starts at 12:00 p.m. at John Leaney Field at Macalester Stadium.